Knockdown bunk bed



Aug. 4, 1953 l. J. M LAUGHLIN KNOCKDOWN BUNK BED Filed June 5, 1951Zhmentor IRA J McLAUGHLIN w Q-Z Gttomeg: v

Patented Aug. 4, 195?;

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I KNOCKDOWN BUNK BED Ira J. McLaughlin,Manistique, Mich.

Application June 5, 1951, Serial No. 229,996

4 Claims.

This invention relates to bunk or double-decker beds and moreparticularly to so-called knockdown bunk beds.

Particularly, in the case of rustic-type bunk beds, the materialemployed is heavy and bulky because dependence for rigidity must be hadupon the bearing of the wide head and foot panels and cross railsagainst the fiat surfaces of the corner posts. Usually logs and halflogs are employed for the bed portions, and various methods employed tointerconnect them. Generally, the beds are constructed in situ, attemptsare made to interconnect the portions in as rigid a manner as possibleand it is almost impossible to separate the portions from one another inorder to knock down the bed and, particularly re-erect it so that itwill be rigid again. Such common expedients as side rail hooks andpost-imbedded pins for association therewith, do not work out at allsatisfactorily in the case of bunk beds.

An important object of the invention is to pro? vide a relativelylight-weight knock-down bunk or double-decker bed which, because of itsnovel construction, may be made of small, substantially round saplingstock.

Another important object is to provide such a' bed which may be producedin a factory by employing conventional factory production methods.

Still another important object is to provide such factory-produced bedsthe portions of which may be readily packaged into a compact bundle fortransportation, storage and marketing.

A further important object is to provide such a packaged bed which maybe readily erected without complicated instructions and knowledge ofcarpentry, by the employment of only a wrench asatool. H.

Additionally, an important object is to provide novel means forinterconnecting the portions of the bed so that the bed may be readilyerected, knocked down and tightened, from time to time if required.

It is also an important object to provide means to mount to the upperbed which means additionally functions as a means contributing torendering more rigid the erected bed, and means for supporting portionsof the knocked-down bed.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent duringthe course of the following detailed description of the invention, takenin connection with the accompanying drawing,

forming a part of this disclosure, and in which Figure 2 is aperspective view of the portions of the knocked-down bed laid out forpackaging, employing the ladder brace portion as a base.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary, partly sectional view of the erected bed witha connection between it and the ladder brace portion.

Figures 4 and 5 are sectional views substantially on their respectivelines of Fig. 1 illustrating details of the means to secure the bedsections together, Fig. 4 being somewhat enlarged over Fig. 5 and theshowing in Fig. 1.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a special nut forming part of themeans of Figures 4 and 5.

Figure '7 is a fragmentary elevation of the nut of Fig. 6 inuse.

In the drawing, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown apreferred embodiment of the invention and wherein similarreferencecharacters' designate corresponding parts throughout theseveral views, the letter A designates the new bed as awhole; the letterB the frame and brace portions thereof; C and D, meansdetachablyconnecting the ladder and brace portion with other of theportions; and E, other means to detachably secure the portions B toether. a

The bed A is shown as a two-bed bunk or double-decker bed and ispreferably constructed, except for themeans C, D and E, of suitablematerial preferably seasoned, light-weight saplings of suitablediameters and lengths. Saplings employed in the manufacture of rustictable legs,

chairs and benches are suitable. The, bark may be removed, if desired.Obviously, too,turned material may be employed instead of saplingsalthough the latter is, by far, the less expensive. The means 0, D and Eare preferably of metal, such as iron, steel or brass.

Referring mainly. to Figs. 1 and 2, the bed portions B preferablycomprise corner headposts l0, corner footposts ll, head cross or endrails l2, foot cross or end rails I3, side rails l4, side guard railsl5, and the combined ladder and brace 16.

For the accommodation of the ends of the rails l2, l3 and I4, as shownin Fig. 4, the posts It] and II are provided with suitable transversesockets I1 and bolt-shank-accommodating bores or openings [8 leadingtherefrom to exteriorly of the posts and for the accommodation of theends of the guard rails [5, as shown in Fig. 5, the posts It] and H areprovided with suitable inclined sockets I9 and bolt-accommodatingopenings or bores 20 leading therefrom to the exteriors of the posts.'I'wo posts, as the two foot posts ll each preferably has a conventionaltransverse bore 2! adjacent its upper end for reviewing a portion of themeans and a transverse socket 22, as in Fig. 3, for receiving an end ofthe means D.

The ends of the rails l2 to Hi inclusive may be slightly bevelled as at23 in Figs. 4 and 5 and are provided with longitudinally-extendingboltshank accommodating bores 24, axially ali with the bores l8 and 20,and each having an enlargement or recess intermediate its length toaccommodate the special nut of Fig. 6, as shown in Figs. 4 and '7.

It is preferred that the rails I2, 13 and M be disposed substantiallyhorizontally, but the rails I5 are inclined as may be seen in Fig. 1.This is not merely to provide higher guards at the head section of theupper bunk but to provide substantial braces for the bed againstto-and-fro sway of the bed.

The combined ladder and brace section iii of the bed A has theconventional side rails 26 and 21 and cross rails or rungs 28. Each rail26 and 21 has a transverse bolt-shank-accommodating bore or opening 29adjacent its upper end, a transverse socket 30, as in Fig. 3, and asuitable number of transverse bores or openings 3! below the openings 29and sockets 30 to accommodate portions of the means 0, next to bedescribed.

The means 0 to detachably connect the ladder and brace portion l6 to afoot post it and some of the foot cross rails l3, which latter havetransverse bores or openings 32, preferably comprises conventional boltand nut assemblies, with the shank of one bolt passing through axiallyaligned openings 2| and 29 and the protruding end of the shank providedwith a tightened nut and a washer 36'. Substantially similar bolt andnut assemblies have their shanks extending through axially aligningopenings 3! and 32. Of course, the lower and faces of the corner postsi0 and H are in substantially the same plane as the plane of the lowerend facesof the ladder rails 26 and 21 when the portion i8 is positionedas described. As shown in Fig. l the rail 26 crosses the lowermost footrails I3 at the central portion of the latter toefiect a substantialbracing effect.

The means D to connect a foot post It with the portion Hito act as abrace for the latter, and best shown in Fig. 3, may be a suitable rigidrod or bar having an intermediate portion 40, and end portion 4| snuglyaccommodated in the socket 30 and oppositeend portion 42 snuglyaccommodated in the socket 22.

Figures 4 to 7 inclusive best illustrate the means E to detachablysecure the portion B (except the portion [6) together and comprisessuitable nut and bolt assemblies made up of elongated; bolt shanks 45for snug but slid'ab-l'e accommodation in the openings or bores l8 and24. The screw threads 46 at one. (the outer) of the ends of the shanks45 are coarser than the screw threads 41 at the other ends thereof, andthe screw threads 46 accommodate the screw threads of a suitable cap nut48, such as those.

shown in Figs. 4 and 5 (with a washer 49 interposed between the innerend of the nut and the adjacent surface of the post). The screw threads4'! accommodate those of a, polygonal nut 50, which, as shown in Figs. 4and 6 has its screw threaded bore 5loffset with respect to its center.This, with the opposite elongated faces,

52 of the nut prevents turning of the nut and,

the relatively large opposite face areas 53-. pro- 4 vide good fingerholds for insertion of the nuts 50, for the nuts are accommodated in therecesses 25 substantially as in Figs. 4 and 7 where, it may be seen, theface areas 53 extend to closely adjacent the mouth of the recess 25.

Fig. 2 illustrates the knocked-down assembly but not piled up forbundling. The posts 10 and II and various rails [2 to 15 may be piledupon the ladder and straps or ropes employed to secure all together in acompact bundle, with the brace means D and a suitable bag containing thecap nuts 48 tied to the ladder rungs 28.

Erection of the bed A may be effected by assembling the head posts l0and head cross rails [2, the foot posts H and foot cross rails 13, withall cap screws tightened, inserting one like end of each rail l4- and i5in an associated foot or head post and tightening the cap screws, thensecuring the other posts to the other end of the rails l4 and I5 andsecuring the ladder and brace portion it in place by the means 0 and D.

It is obvious that the ladder and brace portion 16 may be attached as inFig. l or to extend in an opposite direction as may be appreciated bythe openings 2| and 32 and, in either position, the portion It, preventsside sway of the bed A.

The screw threads 46 and 41 cooperate to prevent accidental turning ofthe shanks 45 off the nuts 59 and the nuts 5!} hold the shanks 45against rotation while the cap nuts 49 are being screwed on the shanks45 whereupon, when the cap nuts 4i! are drawn up tightly, but clearingthe posts ID or it, the shanks may be rotated to tighten up the nutsBil.

After long use, some of the means E may become slightly loosened, but itwill be a simple matter to employ a wrench and againv tightenthem.

Various changes may be made to the iorm of the invention herein shownand described without departing from the spirit of the invention orscope of the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A bunk bed including spaced-apart corner head and foot posts eachhaving a lower-end face, end rails joining like corner posts, side railsjoining opposite corner head and foot posts, and combined brace andladder means including ladder rungs and a ladder rail? with said ladderrail extending diagonally from one corner post toward the like cornerpost and tightly against an adjacent and rail and having a lower endface with all of said faces in substantially the same horizontal plane;and means rigidly securing said ladder rail to said one corner post andto said end, rail with the longitudinal axes of said rungs extending insubstantially the same direction. as said side rails.

2. A bunk bed according to claimv 1 characterized in that the meansrigidly securing the ladder rail to said one corner post is adjacentthe: rip-- perend of said one corner post.

3. A bunk bed according to claim 1 characterized in that themeansrigidly securing, the ladder rail to said one, corner post is adjacentthe up--.

per end of said. one corner post, andv the means,

rigidly securing the ladder rail to saidend rail is disposed adjacentthe longitudinal. center of" said end rail- 4. A bunk bed includingspaced-apart corner head and foot posts each having a lower end face,end rails joining like corner posts, side rails joining opposite cornerhead and foot posts, guard rails extending diagonally from and rigidlyseladder rail extending diagonally from one corner 5 post toward thelike corner post and across and tightly against an adjacent end rail andhaving a lower end face with all of said faces in substantially the samehorizonal plane; and means rigidly securing said ladder rail to said onecorner post at a location on said one corner post above the longitudinalaxis of one guard rail at the connection of said one corner post andsaid one guard rail, and to said end rail with the longitudinal axes ofsaid rungs extending in substantially the same direction as said siderails, said guard rails contributing to prevent longitudinal sway ofsaid bed and said combined brace and ladder means contributing toprevent transverse sway of said bed.

IRA J. MCLAUGHLIN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 97,981 Snead Dec. 14, 1869 608,546 Coburn Aug. 2, 1898 819,886Hume May 8, 1906 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 276,223 GreatBritain Aug. 25, 1927 283,039 Italy Feb. 27, 1931

